Cornerstone Dental in West Bend
Brenna Sadler, Director of Communications and Membership –
bs*****@wd*.org
Dr. Ellie Dowden purchased her West Bend practice, Cornerstone Dental, from a retiring dentist about two and a half years ago. She loved the freedom to practice the way she wanted and enjoyed, and about a year after the purchase, she was ready to make the space her own.
Working closely with WDA Equipment Solutions, including owner Richard Wilde, Dr. Dowden planned an extensive renovation that transformed her office into the modern, technology-rich practice of her dreams.
The project was more complicated than some. Dr. Dowden and her husband were expecting their first child when planning started. She would be on maternity leave for most of construction, but her associate and team had a full patient schedule and needed the office open. Wilde helped avoid a shutdown by planning the work in phases, building out one segment at a time. This required creating a temporary entrance, waiting room and sterilization areas, and remodeling treatment rooms individually rather than all at once. It also required three separate equipment installation dates, but with careful coordination, everything stayed exactly on schedule.
Dr. Dowden purchased all new Belmont equipment, including chairs, X-rays and delivery systems. The Vatech PaX-I digital Pan/Ceph X-ray and new computers allowed her to maximize technology. “Pretty much everything now is digital,” she said. “It has helped me give the best patient care.”
A renovation – especially one of this size and complexity – can be overwhelming. But Dr. Dowden said Wilde and WDA Equipment Solutions made the process easy. While she saved a lot of money, what was most important to her was the WDA Equipment Solutions approach.
“They did an awesome job of keeping my desires and my budget in mind, which was really helpful.”
Ellie Dowden, DDS | West Bend
“Once we finalized the layout, they showed me multiple equipment options at different price points, and explained the pros and cons so I could make educated decisions. From the design to the layout and ultimately picking the styles and colors that I was looking for – it was a big process, but they helped it go nice and smooth for me. I got a tremendous amount of value.”
The remodel has been a hit with staff, patients – and Dr. Dowden herself.
“I knew I wanted it to be a very welcoming, warm environment for our patients,” she said. “I also wanted to focus a lot on technology and modernizing the space. I feel like the end result is exactly what I was envisioning.”
“Staff loves it. I think it makes them not only enjoy their work environment but also gives them confidence in all of the equipment and technology and their ability to treat patients. Patients walk in and they are wowed. They just can’t believe the transformation of the space and how good it looks. And they see us investing in their care, which is important.”
For a lot of dental offices, the relationship with an equipment supplier comes into play only when buying and installing equipment. WDA Equipment Solutions is more of a long-term partner.
“They’ve been active the whole time,” Dr. Dowden said. “Since everything was installed, they made sure my staff was well-trained in how to use everything. They followed up as we started using the equipment to make sure everything was working properly. And now, we’re working on an annual maintenance schedule.”
While the decision to take on a remodel came at a busy time in Dr. Dowden’s personal and professional life, she’s glad she made the jump.
“After meeting Richard and the Equipment Solutions team, I got a really good vibe. I felt that they had my best interests in mind,” she said. “I’m so happy I did it. As long as you have the proper support – like having WDA Equipment Solutions – they take a lot of the pressure and the stress and the planning off you. To other dentists considering a project like this one, I would say go for it!”
